For decades, the National Black MBA Association® has been supplying generations of Black MBAs with resources to enhance personal and professional development. The Foundation leverages a wealth of institutional knowledge and experience to help its supporters:

• Maximize the impact of their philanthropic giving
• Focus their generosity on programs and people that align with their objectives, values and missions
• Meet the genuine needs of African American youth. Ultimately, the Foundation’s programs accelerate the progress to a more equitable and prosperous society.

Nicole M. Chestang
Chief Client Officer
Graduate Management Admission Council

Nicole Chestang is the Chief Client officer of the Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMA®) . Throughout her career, Nicole has directed a great deal of her time and influence toward increasing educational and career opportunities for African-, Hispanic-, and Native Americans in business. Among the many initiatives she has championed are the AACSB–GMAC®> Minority Summer Institute, Destination MBA^®, The National Black MBA Association’s National Student Case Competition, The Ph.D. Project, and the Diversity Pipeline AllianceSM.

She has received recognition and numerous awards for her academic and professional accomplishments, including the Sterling Schoen Achievement Award from The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, Outstanding Alumni Award ( Washington University and Wayne State University) and the 1997 Outstanding MBA of the Year (National Black MBA Association). She serves on the board of directors of the Friends of the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and the Diversity Pipeline AllianceSM.

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Dimitrius M. Hutcherson
Consultant
Deloitte Services LP

Mr. Hutcherson works for Deloite Services, LP in the Process Excellence practice. In this role, he is helping to improve processes within Deloitte’s internal channels and functions. Mr. Hutcherson has worked as an independent consultant to companies in the areas of operations, six sigma quality and productivity, performance improvement, turnaround management, strategic planning, project management and business development.

Mr. Hutcherson worked at The College Board as the Interim Executive of the SAT Assessment Operations. Mr. Hutcherson also worked as Freddie Mac’s VP of Planning, Policies and Corporate Programs. Prior to joining Freddie Mac, Mr. Hutcherson was the Senior Managing Director of Business Development and Strategy for Epitome Systems in Wayne, Pa. Epitome Systems is a company that was spun out of GMAC Commercial Mortgage.

He previously spent approximately 11 years in financial services at Bank One in Detroit, Michigan, where he was formally credit trained in commercial lending and gained extensive experience in credit analysis and portfolio management.

Dimitrius is a member of various technology, finance and community boards and has served as a professor and guest lecturer at several educational institutions and currently sits on the board of directors of the National Black MBA Association..

Mr. Hutcherson earned a BA degree in Finance, cum laude, at Morehouse College and a MBA in Finance and Business Strategy from the Harvard Business School.

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Steve Lewis
Director
Strategic Planning/Manufacturing
Ford Motor Company

Mr. Lewis served as National President of the National Black MBA Association and currently serves on the Board of Directors. Steve has been an active member of the NBMBAA since 1978. He served as Co-Director of the National Scholarship program that has provided over $300,000 annually to deserving business students. He received the MBA of the Year Award in 1990. He currently is the president of Detroit Pre-College Educational Program and sits on the board of directors for the National Black MBA Association and GMAC. He received his MBA from Marquette University.

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Hassell H. McClellan, D B.A
Professor
The Wallace E. Carroll School of Management
Boston College

Dr. McClellan is Associate Professor and former associate dean of Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. As the Associate Dean from 1996-2000, he was responsible for the leadership of the School’s MBA, Master of Science in Finance, doctoral programs, and graduate certificate programs.

Dr. McClellan’s professional background encompasses extensive experience in both the academic and business worlds. He holds a doctorate of business administration from the Harvard Business School, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics from Fisk University. While at the University of Chicago Hassell was one of the founding members of the NBMBAA.

Dr. McClellan has also been a banker with Harris Trust in Chicago and a faculty member at the Harvard Business School. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the John Hancock Trust, John Hancock Funds II & III, Smith Whiley & Co. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of DentaQuest Ventures and the Board of Overseers of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Dr. McClellan has also served on the Boards of Delta Dental Plans of Massachusetts, Lesley University and Fisk University.

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Christopher Puto, Ph.D
Dean
College of Business
University of St. Thomas

Prior to joining St. Thomas in August 2002, Dr. Puto served as Dean of the Robert Emmett McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. His academic specialties are marketing strategy, consumer and managerial decision-making, and advertising. He has published numerous articles in scholarly journals and has received awards for outstanding teaching. He is the recipient of the Sheth Foundation/Journal of Consumer Research award for best long-term contribution to consumer research. He was the first person to receive a Ph.D. in business administration from the Fuqua School at Duke University.

For five years in the 1970s, Dr. Puto was allied sales manager for the Burger King Corporation, actively involved in developing the strategic foundations for the company’s successful “Have It Your Way” campaign.

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William J. Qualls, Ph.D
Chair, Board of Trustees

Melvin Stith
Dean
Martin J. Whitman School of Management
Syracuse University

Dr. Stith returned to his alma mater in January 2005 to become the 16th Dean of the Whitman School of Management. From 1991 to November 2004, he was Dean and the Jim Moran Professor of Business Administration in the College of Business at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Mel Stith has shared his research expertise as a consultant or lecturer for many private companies and public agencies, including the Dracket Company, American Hospital Supply, Florida Department of Education, Florida Department of Transportation, Glembys, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co., Anheuser-Busch, Kent Publishing Co., JM Family Enterprises, Associated Credit Bureaus, and the University of Wisconsin. He is also active in The Ph.D. Project, a national foundation that works to recruit black, Hispanic, and American Indian students to the business school professoriate.

A native of Jarratt, Virginia, Stith received his undergraduate education at Norfolk State University and his MBA and Ph.D. in Marketing from the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. He serves on the board of Flowers Food, Inc., the Graduate Management Admissions Council, and Synovus Financial Corporation.

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Barbara L. Thomas
CEO and President
National Black MBA Association®

As President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the National Black MBA Association®, Ms. Thomas is responsible for oversight of strategic direction and all operations for the organization. Under her leadership, the NBMBAA® strives to make the organization relevant to the issues facing its members, business schools and corporate partners by providing access to information, resources and talented people; and by driving change through innovation and outstanding customer service. Thomas views her role as an extension of her personal commitment to improving the lives and prospects of African Americans and their communities.

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Linda A. Watters
Managing Director
KPMG, LLP
Financial Risk Management Advisory

 Linda A. Watters is the former Commissioner, of the Office of Financial and Insurance Services, by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm on April 11, 2003. As Commissioner, Ms. Watters is responsible for the regulation of Blue Cross Blue Shield, 30 HMOs, 139 banks, 169 domestic insurance companies, 259 credit unions, 1,303 foreign insurance companies, 1,484 investment advisors, 2,178 securities broker-dealers, 7,521 consumer finance lenders, 123,486 insurance agents, and 107,991 securities agents.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Watters was active in numerous community groups, banking organizations and corporate boards, including the NBMBAA. Ms. Watters graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Business Administration/Economics and received her Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Dayton.

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